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Small Business Majority writes in opposition against HB 5139, Illinois' Regulatory Sandbox Act. The legislation would permit a range of financial institutions to test unlicensed financial products on consumers, including entrepreneurs. It allows financial products that would normally be subject to licensing requirements and regulations to operate freely. The bill language lacks strong disclosure requirements or provisions promoting transparency, and this lack of clarity opens the door to predatory lending.

Small Business Majority writes in support of Illinois bill SB 2388 SFA1 which would establish a maximum enrollment period for short-term health insurance of 90 days per year. It would also apply existing consumer health insurance protections to these short-term plans and require increased transparency in marketing such plans.

A few years ago, Rachel Bernier-Green was looking for an outlet from the stress of her intense job at a multinational accounting firm and discovered a passion for baking. It didn’t take long before friends and family were encouraging her to sell her baked goods to the masses. Rachel founded ‘Laine’s Bake Shop, LLC in 2013 using a shared kitchen space, working on the side to get her business off the ground. After a few years of baking part-time, Rachel decided to finally quit her job and start a bake shop full-time with her husband Jaryd.

Ramona Thomas, a trained mathematician with a Ph.D. in education, gave up an 18-year career and position as vice president of a venture philanthropy firm to strike out on her own and open what is now Chicago’s premiere artisan chocolate boutique—My Chocolate Soul.

Sue McDonald is the owner of MP Global Corporation, a full service meeting management company in Niles, Illinois that helps clients execute an event from start to finish. MP Global opened its doors in 2001 and Sue’s husband followed her lead soon after, starting his own business in 2006. However, since the U.S.

Maricar Tinio is an example of the quintessential entrepreneur. In addition to having over fifteen years of experience in the legal industry, she is a three-time cancer survivor who has started and co-owned several businesses. Her most recent venture is Mardavis Group, Inc., a legal recruiting firm in Chicago that she launched just last year. But unfortunately her new business may come to a standstill if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed.

Karin McKie’s extensive resume reads writer, actor, publicist, educator and arts administrator—a true renaissance woman. But one of her proudest titles is small business owner. Karin’s business, Tree Falls Productions, based in Chicago, has been open since the early 1990s and provides a variety of services related to Karin’s creative expertise, primarily for non-profit art organizations and theatres.

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago empowers business owners to thrive through connection, resources and support. You will connect to decision-makers and build meaningful relationships, have access to business and procurement opportunities, and advance through collaboration, knowledge and best practices.

NAWBO Chicago propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power.

SomerCor 504, Inc. is a non-profit development company certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to originate SBA 504 loans in the State of Illinois. Since its inception in 1992, SomerCor has grown to be one of the premier mission-driven small business lenders in the Chicagoland area and expanded its offerings beyond the SBA 504 program. SomerCor is a SBA Community Advantage lender in partnership with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative offering loans between $50,000 - $250,000.

The Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center, a Small Business Opportunity Center for the City of Chicago, offers a wide variety of supportive services for start-up and existing small businesses located in and around the Illinois Institute of Technology as well as the greater Chicago area.